MARY WARD CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL

Center for Self-Directed Learning

Grade 9 Academic Science (SNC 1D1)

Unit 6: Biology: Sustainable Ecosystems

Revised: January 2021

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION EVALUATION CATEGORY

Activity 1: Introduction to Ecosystems

A. Elements of an Ecosystem
B. Biomes and the Biosphere

Activity 2: Nutrient Cycles & Energy Flow

A. Nutrients and Nutrient Cycles

B. Photosynthesis/Cellular Respiration
C. Food Chain and Food Webs
D. Activity: Food Chain Gizmo Lab Thinking
E. Energy Pyramids
F. Unit 6 Quiz Quiz Knowledge

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Activity 1: Introduction to Ecosystems

A. Elements of an Ecosystem

An ​ecosystem​ is a complex, self-regulating system in which living things interact with

each other and with non-living things. In this unit, your goals are to learn about the
components of an ecosystem and the processes that keep ecosystems going
(sustainability).

❏ Read Pearson ​Investigating Science 9​ p. 8-15. Then, define the following key
terms in your notebook.

stewardship sustainability biodiversity ecology

biotic abiotic species population
habitat community niche

❏ Think of an ecosystem near the school. In your notebook, identify that ecosystem
and list 5 abiotic factors in it. Also, list 5 biotic factors in this ecosystem.

B. Biomes and the Biosphere

Ecosystems combine to form biomes. A ​biome​ is a large geographical region that

contains similar ecosystems.

All the biomes in the world make up the biosphere. The ​biosphere​ is the part of the
planet, including water, land and air, where life exists.

❏ Read Pearson ​Investigating Science 9​ p. 15-19. Then, answer the following

questions:

1) What is the difference between a terrestrial biome and an aquatic biome?

Terrestrial biomes reside on ground, while aquatic biomes operate in both the
ocean and freshwater.

2) What terrestrial biome do you live in? If you travel to northern Ontario for a
camping trip what type of biome would you be in? Describe the type of plants in
both biomes.

I live in the Terrestial biomes.

3) In a table, name and describe the 3 main components of the biosphere.

Lithophere-is the biosphere's terrestrial portion. It is made up of solid land
masses such as continents and islands. The lower mantle and center of the
lithosphere, which are the deepest areas of the lithosphere, do not support
existence.
Hydrosphere-is the biosphere's aquatic component. Oceans, rivers, streams,

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 and other bodies of water are also included. Unlike the lithosphere and
atmosphere, the hydrosphere embraces life in every part of it.

Atmosphere-is the gaseous substance that surrounds a planet. It is also known

as air on Earth. Lower levels of the atmosphere include gases like oxygen and
carbon dioxide, which are necessary for plant and animal respiration.

Activity 2: Nutrient Cycles and Energy Flow

A. Nutrients and Nutrient Cycles

All living things need nutrients in order to survive. ​Nutrients are substances that an
organism uses to build and repair the cells of its body. Nutrients also provide energy,
which all organisms need to grow and maintain their bodies and to reproduce. Animals
eat food in order to get nutrients. Plants get nutrients from the soil and from the air.

Nutrients cycle back and forth between biotic parts of ecosystems (organisms) and the
abiotic parts of ecosystems. This is necessary for an ecosystem to become sustainable.
In this unit you will investigate 3 important cycles – the water cycle, the nitrogen cycle
and the carbon cycle.

❏ Read Pearson ​Investigating Science 9​ p. 22-27. Complete the following:

● In your notebook, draw a simple diagram of each cycle – the water cycle, the
nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle
● Answer the following questions below:

1) What are two processes that cause water to enter the atmosphere?
Evaporation and transpiration are two ways that water reaches the
atmosphere. When the sun's heat evaporates the water in oceans, lakes,
rivers, and other massive bodies of water, this is known as evaporation.
Likewise, transpiration happens as plants remove water from their leaves.

2) What are the 3 types of bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle and why is each
one important?
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which really transform nitrogen from the atmosphere
to nitrates.
Nitrifying bacteria,which turn ammonia into nitrates/nitrites.
Denitrifying bacteria, which decomposes nitrates into nitrogen gas.

3) What form of nitrogen can plants use?

Nitrifying bacteria. Plants usually use nitrogen within only two forms,
ammonium and nitrate.

4) How do animals get nitrogen?

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 Animals receive the nitrogen they need by consuming plants and perhaps
other animals. Ammonia is a byproduct of protein processing in animals

5) List one biotic and one abiotic reservoir for the element carbon.
atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere

B. Photosynthesis/Cellular Respiration

In the carbon cycle, you saw that photosynthesis and cellular respiration are two very
important processes. Both processes work together so that energy can be produced for
living organisms.

❏ Read Pearson ​Investigating Science 9​ p. 28-29. Complete the following:

● Write out the word equations for photosynthesis and cellular respiration
Photosynthesis:carbon dioxide gas + water + sunlight glucose + oxygen gas

Cellular Respiration:glucose + oxygen gas carbon dioxide gas + water +

energy

● Answer the following questions:

1) What process produces the majority of the atmosphere’s oxygen? Why do

animals need to breathe in oxygen?
Photosynthesis is the method that creates the majority of the oxygen on Earth.
Plants and other species use this process to turn sunlight into oxygen and
other things. Animals need oxygen to breathe. To conduct cellular respiration,
every cell in an animal needs oxygen. And a fish will die if it is forced to
breathe above water.

2) Since plants can capture the energy of sunlight in photosynthesis, why do plants
need cellular respiration?
Plants need energy to develop and survive in their environments. Plants can
transform glucose into energy through the method of cellular respiration. While
photosynthesis is used by plants to produce glucose, cellular respiration is
often used by plants to release energy from the glucose.

C. Food Chain and Food Webs

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Producers​ are organisms (for example, plants and algae) that carry out photosynthesis
and can produce their own chemical energy from the sun. ​Consumers​ (such as
humans, lions, rabbits) need to eat other organisms to obtain energy since they cannot
make their own food.

Food chains​ are a way of showing feeding relationships among organisms. These
chains start with a producer.

In an ecosystem, many food chains are occurring together, especially since consumers
usually eat different types of food. Many food chains put together is called a ​food web​.

❏ Read Pearson ​Investigating Science 9​ p. 30-31. Then, define the following key
terms in your notebook.

herbivores carnivores scavengers omnivores

detritivores decomposers

Using this Jamboard​, complete the following:

● Create a food chain using at least 4 of the organisms from the Quick Lab on p. 23
of your textbook. On your food chain label the producer, primary consumer,
secondary consumer and tertiary consumer.
● Create a food web with the organisms on p. 23 of your textbook.

D. Activity: Food Chain Gizmo

Complete the ​“Activity: Food Chain Gizmo”​ and submit it to the dropbox.

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E. Energy Pyramids

The picture below is an ​energy pyramid​ of a food chain (grass ​→ ​grasshopper ​→ ​rat ​→
owl). Notice how the amounts of energy available for the next animal decreases as you
go up the pyramid. Therefore, at each step in the food chain some energy is used or
lost.

The more levels that exist in the food chain, the less energy is left for a top-level
consumer. In an ecosystem, to sustain a food chain, there will be fewer organisms as
you go up in levels (i.e. fewer owls compared to rats).

❏ Read Pearson ​Investigating Science 9​ p. 32. Then, answer the following:

● At each step only 10% of the energy is passed on to the next animal that
eats. This means 90% is used or lost. What happens to 90% of the
energy specifically? (Hint: look at fig 1.31 on pg 32)

Just about 10% of the energy consumed by an animal is prepared to be

passed on to the next animal that consumes it. As energy flows through
a food chain, approximately 90% of it is lost with each transition, the
large proportion of it as heat.

● Consider the following figure and address the question of what should we
be eating?
Humans inhabit the Tertiary level, since they are at the top of the food
chain?

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F.​ ​Unit 6 Quiz

The Unit 6 Quiz will cover everything in this unit. Take your quiz online during a specific
date and time, set by your teacher. You can access this quiz by clicking on the Quizzes
tab.
The End
Download a copy of your completed Unit Guide and
😊
Jamboard and submit it to the Unit 6 Guide Dropbox in D2L